The Definitive Blog for Fine Furniture & Design

As our next group of Customer-In-Residence participants prepare for their visit in a couple weeks, we had Dawn Klingensmith (Left, who participated with her fiance Jeff, far Right) to write a quick guest blog regarding her experience.

As a gift to my fiancé, Jeff, I signed us up for Thos. Moser’s Customer in Residence program with plans to build our dining room table together as couple. Jeff enjoys woodworking and is good at it. I, on the other hand, had never even built anything out of Popsicle sticks.I am not the first novice to sign up for the program. But I think it’s fair to say that most participants have a passion for woodworking and experience using power tools. And most leave with a deeper passion and perhaps even plans to come back. I left with neither, but it was an enriching experience all the same.Besides the cherry wood table we made, I left with something just as solid yet intangible. All the participants did. As the week progressed and everyone’s projects started coming together, we witnessed a shared commitment to excellence among Thos. Moser employees that you don’t find in most workplaces. At the signing ceremony, attended by all the cabinetmakers, each of us “graduates” had an opportunity to speak about our experience. One after another, all six of us talked about how impressed we were by the standard of excellence shared and upheld by each and every worker at Thos. Moser.Knowing I’m a writer, instructor Dick Guite told me every piece of wood tells a story. I’m not sure I’ll ever share his love of wood or see poetry in its grain. But I will always remember the moment we bonded over a shared appreciation of artwork and the act of creating. If you own Thos. Moser furniture, then you know that the cabinetmakers sign their work. Dick told me the act of signing is a source of both pride and responsibility. As a writer whose byline is on most things I write, I knew what he was saying.With their unwavering commitment to excellence, Dick and the other cabinetmakers helped me understand that to live is to build. And if you’re going to build something, build it to last. This is true of furniture, stories, relationships, reputations and even guest blog posts — whether your name is actually on it or not.